The Undergraduate Council made headway yesterday in a years-old effort to keep campus libraries open later, as Cabot Science Library announced extended hours for January.

From the second week of reading period through finals, Cabot will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. The library currently closes at midnight.

"The Undergraduate Council has asked us to do it for the past couple of years, so we decided to try it on an experimental basis," said Allen Bourque, acting librarian of Cabot.

"The library is pleased to be able to offer the extended hours and hope that students will take advantage of them," Bourque said.

The Undergraduate Council, which in the past has pushed for a campus-wide extension of library hours, decided to focus its efforts on a specific library and a specific period of time, according to Malcolm A. Heinicke '93, the council's chair.

"Cabot is an ideal library for this because of its central location," said Heinicke. "It is accessible to students living in the Quad, the Yard, and the river houses."

Harvard Police, which supervises escorting students to their dormito- ries after 3 a.m., was contacted before adecision was reached. Bourque said they haveapproved the plan.

"I think this is the council's biggest successthis year," said Jennifer W. Grove '94, chair ofthe Undergraduate Council's Residential Committee.

"Students who don't think the council is doinganything for them are going to look at the serviceand realize that the U.C. makes a difference inthe Harvard community," Grove said.

Bourque said Cabot will consider extending itshours during future reading and exam periods ifstudents take advantage of the new schedule